There have always been those in the Church of Christ that have been searching for something more, something exciting and better. Since the time of the Reformation, there have always been those who were dissatisfied with the simplicity of biblical Christianity: Trinitarian God; salvation through Christ alone; a Bible as our guide; Simplicity of worship; Living out the great commandment while doing the great commission.
People want more- they are dissatisfied. How can Christ be enough? How can worship and witness be enough? How can a relationship with God that spills over into our relationship with others be enough. Dissatisfied.
During the Reformation we had anabaptists. They sought something more and something outside of Scripture.
Over the past 50 years we have seen a section of the Church move from Fundamentalism to Evangelicalism to Seeker-Friendly-ism to Emergent Church. Dissatisfied with being dissatisfied, one branch of Christ's Church leaves their father's church to seek a new way, a new beginning, a new start... a New Kind of Christianity. But things rarely last forever. The dissatisfied are again dissatisfied. The Emergent Church has become another example of this ongoing problem in the Church of Christ. What is next? What is the newest craze? Only the next 5 years will tell.
So what was a reaction to Modernism will remain as Fundamentalism.
What was a reaction to Fundamentalism will remain as Evangelicalism.
What was a reaction to much of Evangelicalism will remain Seeker Friendly.
And what was a reaction to much of the Seeker Friendly will remain Emergent.
Dissatisfied with dissatisfaction. The Emergent Church is locked in as just another reactionary movement, thus making it dead.
What do these wandering Former-Fundamentalist-evangelical-seeker-friendly-emergents do? Well, they have been seeking genuine community. They have been seeking a genuine faith. They have been seeking a genuine experience with Jesus.
The Reformed faith remains here. You are all welcome to stop reaction and stop being dissatisfied with being dissatisfied. You are welcome to come and to look at the Reformation and what it sought to accomplish. Community. Christ. Biblical simplicity.
Friends, another movement has died. Call them back to what remains: authentic Christianity.
Original Article: http://online.worldmag.com/2010/04/14/farewell-emerging-church-1989-2010/
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